Tenuta dei Merli – Property 191556 – Migiana di Monte Tezio - Umbria

9 Bedrooms – Pool and Jacuzzi-tub

Exclusive Country Estate in the centre of the Green Heart of Italy.

Location and Surrounding Area. Tenuta dei Merli has the unique advantage of being located in the very heart of Umbria, itself the most central region in Italy. It is a part of the country where tradition still reigns supreme - the simple pleasures of country living and genuine food combine with art, history and architecture, making this one of the most pleasant and relaxing regions to visit in the whole of Italy. Umbria is known as the ‘Green Heart of Italy’ due to the abundant woodland and forest that cover the region, and indeed there are few large urban centres and instead countless historical towns, villages and hamlets to discover.

The Etruscan city of Perugia, with its ancient walls dating back more than 2500 years, is the capital city of the region. A mere 20 minute drive from the Tenuta, the historical centre of Perugia is a delightful and surprisingly lively place to visit. Closed to traffic, it is a feast for the eyes, offering beautiful architecture and a wealth of cultural activities including important Renaissance art works, classical music, and the renowned Umbria Jazz and Eurochocolate festivals. Perugia is also home to two universities - the second oldest faculty in the country, and the University for Foreigners; so for most of the year it is milling with young people, filling the pedestrian streets, bars and restaurants.

Gubbio -  the medieval town of Gubbio, which actually dates back to pre-Roman times, is a charming place spreading up a hillside and boasting some of the most impressive architecture in the entire region, including the stunning Palazzo Ducale, Piazza Grande and Palazzo dei Consoli complex, and the second largest Roman Amphitheatre still in existence. The town is affectionately known as the ‘city of fools’ and indeed it is possible to get a ‘fool’s licence’ by running three times around of its fountains. The patron Saint of Gubbio, Sant’Ubaldo, is a particularly important figure who is celebrated every year at the ‘Corsa dei Ceri’ a frenetic race up the hillside between the strongest members of the town’s different districts carrying enormous wooden ‘ceri’, or candles. This ancient celebration is famous all over the country and very much worth seeing.

Assisi – the home of Italy’s national saint – Francis of Assisi - Assisi is the one of world’s most important pilgrimage destinations, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Of course the Basilica, containing works dedicated to the Saint by artists of the calibre of Giotto, Cimabue, Andrea da Bologna and Simone Martini, is essential visiting; but Assisi is also an architectural wonder with its atmospheric medieval streets and hilltop castle.

Lake Trasimeno – Italy’s fourth largest lake, covering a surface area of 128 square kilometres, Lake Trasimeno is famous as the scene of the second Punic War, when the Carthaginians under Hannibal defeated the Romans in 217 BC. The lake includes two charming little islands which are open to the public and the ancient little fortified towns of Passignano sul Trasimeno, Castiglione del Lago, San Feliciano and Panicale.

Other spectacular hilltop towns include Cortona and Preggio, the latter with its annual classical music festival, as well as the annual Montone Film Festival which attracts an international audience.

For nature lovers, the Estate provides marked trails for hikers to follow, leading through some of the most breath-taking scenery in Umbria and where it is not unusual to spot wildlife such as wild boar, deer and a vast array of birdlife. The more intrepid hiker wanting to visit the hill tops is rewarded by stunning views of Perugia and Lake Trasimeno.

Getting there – the Estate is 35 km from the International Airport of Perugia/Assisi; 2 hours’ drive from the airport of Florence and 2.5 hours from the International airport of Rome, Fiumicino. The historical towns of Perugia (21 km), Assisi (51 km), Gubbio (41 km) and Siena (108 km) are all within easy reach of the Estate.

The Property. The Estate dei Merli is one of the most exclusive private country estates in Italy, owned by the same family for generations. Renowned for its thousands of hectares of immaculate woods and olive groves, and for its superb valleys, lakes and rivers, it is the perfect place for a relaxing and tranquil holiday, offering impressive levels of comfort and elegance. The Estate offers a wide selection of possibilities for its guests: five luxury villas, including three charming apartments and two romantic cottages; all elegantly furnished and offering superior levels of comfort.

Property 191556. This villa is a beautiful 16th-century farmhouse, set on the top of one of the hills, affording spectacular views across the medieval castle of Antognolla and its 18-hole championship golf course, which are particularly impressive from the large infinity pool, complete with Jacuzzi. Property 191556 accommodates up to 18 guests (it has seven en-suite bedrooms and two children’s bedrooms) with the exceptional comfort of three beautiful apartments and a luxury suite in the cottage by the pool. This cottage by the pool is our Honeymoon Suite, known as Tiglio. It has a large open bathroom with a huge bathtub and incredible views of the pool and Antognolla Castle.

The Estate’s restaurant, “Il Caldaro” is located in an old farmhouse on the estate, near the little village of La Bruna. Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks or linger over a coffee in a cosy environment, with leather armchairs, copper tables and a large old stone fireplace, or, outside, under the shaded terrace or the secular oak tree with wonderful views. Caldaro’s fine cuisine is rich in local tradition using fresh ingredients from the Estate’s bio-dynamic garden (set in the grounds of the restaurant) as well as handmade pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven. A little shop with restaurant’s pasta sauces, home-made bread, local cheeses and cold cuts, and the Estate’s own olive oil is open to anyone wishing to take home these exquisite, organic Umbrian delicacies. Perfect for parties, events and celebrations, Caldaro’s enchanting atmosphere reflects the true Umbrian lifestyle where it is easy to lose your sense of time.

The Antognolla Golf Course, which is only a few minutes’ drive from each villa, is a magnificent 18-hole championship golf course designed by the famous architect Robert Trent Jones Jr and dominated by the imposing Antognolla Castle dating back to the 11th century. The layout features dramatic hillside-lined fairways, beautiful lakes and stunning views of the castle and surrounding countryside, giving golfers 18 holes of pure delight.